Description
An accessible and fascinating exploration of the Torah
The Torah For Dummies, 2nd Edition is an easy-to-follow and insightful guide to the first five books of the Hebrew bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. This helpful resource walks you through the foundations of Jewish tradition, religion, and theology, explaining Judaism's rich and ancient history and how its interpreted by modern Jews.
You'll also find discussion on translations of ancient writings, as well as explorations of the resources that preserve and expand Jewish texts and archeological discoveries that shed additional light on old doctrines.
Inside:
- Understand how the Torah is structured
- Discover how the Torah informs the lives of followers
- Explore interpretations, commentaries, and more.
Perfect for practicing Jews who want to better understand their own faith, Christians wanting to know more about the Jewish roots of Christianity, followers of Islamic tradition, and those interested in the roots of Abrahamic faiths, The Torah For Dummies is a can't-miss resource for anyone interested in one of the world's oldest and most fascinating religions and cultures. It's packed with trustworthy information about the laws, teachings, and stories that guide the lives of people of faith all over the world.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Part 1: The Torah 101 5
Chapter 1: Beginning with Torah Basics 7
Chapter 2: Encountering God, the Ultimate Author 19
Chapter 3: Examining the Treasures of the Torah 37
Part 2: One by One: The Books of the Torah 61
Chapter 4: “In the Beginning”: The Book of Genesis 63
Chapter 5: “These Are the Names”: The Book of Exodus 83
Chapter 6: “And He Called”: The Book of Leviticus 107
Chapter 7: “In the Wilderness”: The Book of Numbers 121
Chapter 8: “Words”: The Book of Deuteronomy 135
Part 3: The Torah: An Operating Manual for Planet Earth 149
Chapter 9: Keeping Your Personal Behavior in Line with the Torah 151
Chapter 10: Living by the Word of the Torah in the Community 163
Part 4: The Importance of the Torah in Judaism 173
Chapter 11: Observing the Holy Days in Torah Time 175
Chapter 12: Following Jewish Customs According to the Torah 197
Chapter 13: Walking through the Torah Synagogue Service 215
Chapter 14: The Final Commandment: Writing a Torah Scroll 237
Chapter 15: Always Up for Discussion: Analyzing the Torah 261
Chapter 16: Studying the Torah with Translations, Commentaries, and Other Resources 279
Part 5: Do You Dig Archaeology? 295
Chapter 17: The Science of Biblical Archaeology 297
Chapter 18: Biblical Archaeology: True or False?. 305
Part 6: The Part of Tens 317
Chapter 19: Ten Frequently Misunderstood Quotes from the Torah 319
Chapter 20: The Ten Commandments According to the Torah 327
Appendix: A Glossary of Torah Terms and Names 335
Index 343
